Tea exports surge 4.57% in January-July 2017 : Tea Board

NEW DELHI: Despite India's staple tea importers like Russia, UK, Germany and others stagnating their purchases this year, tea exports from India, during the January- July period grew by 4.57 per cent, thanks to increased purchases from Kazakhstan, Iran, U.A.E., Egypt and others.

Exporters said there has been three primary unique trends in the export market this year. In the first place, the average selling prices of Darjeeling tea have risen by 50-100 per cent which resulted in better average price realisation.

Secondly, the Orthodox tea market has become extremely strong and average prices of this category surged by over 12 per cent this year.

Thus, exports surged to major Orthodox tea markets like Iran (7.01 per cent at 12.52 mkg), Egypt (98.23 per cent at 4.48 mkg), U.A.E. (35.09 per cent at 10.01 mkg), China (71.02 per cent at 4.19 per cent), Sri Lanka (150 per cent at 2.50 mkg) and others.

In the third place, demand for lower grade CTC (crush, tear, curl) leaves, which takes up for 45 per cent of the total CTC exports, has risen considerably particularly in developing economies.